Use of a Drawing Task in the Treatment of Nightmares in Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Jenna BroderickThe College of New Rochelle

Fall 2016

Can art therapy, specifically a drawing task, impact on a specific and pervasive

symptom of PTSD: nightmares?

1995

Inspired by informal reports

12 weeks alternating betweendrawing and writing

BOTHParticipants:

Vietnam combat veterans (42 and 44 yo)

Met DSM-111-R criteria for PTSDInpatients in a 16-week PTSD program:

1995Reported real combat nightmares 4+

times a month before the study

No prior experience with art therapyNo art beyond elementary school.

No learning disabilitiesNo problems with written or verbal

expression.

The Nightmares

Findings!

Subject #2 similarly noted:“It’s weird. I don’t jump out of the bed anymore.” ‘Writing? Well, I don‘t seem to be any good at writing. I get too tight inside. I tried it but it doesn’t come out, I just get mad. I did it for 10 days but after that-no way! I don’t see any difference. I don’t know. I still sweat and pace around a lot.”

Both gave up the writing task in their last week

Subject #1 reported that during the

drawing intervals:

I’m not sweaty and jumpy when I wake

up. The nightmare wakes me up, but I’m

calmer. More relaxed. I can go back to

bed and go to sleep.”

Solacing an empathic stance and a containment of

the anxiety linked to the imagery

is provided when the therapist is present.

drawing versus writing

Drawing fosters asense of reality testing by affording the client

the ability to distances themselves from the experience

Unexpectedfindings!

development and increase in

aerial perspective

in the nightmare

&

an increased

sense of self-awareness

while dreaming

Morgan, C. & Johnson, D. (1995) Use of a Drawing Task in the Treatment of Nightmares in Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder, Art Therapy, 12:4, 244-247, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.1995.10759172